Lady Augusta Gregory

by Irish Myths

  And he brought the body to shore then, and struck off his head

  and brought it to the Fianna.

  But there was great grief and anger on Dolar Durba, the eldest

  of the sons of Garb, that had stopped in the ship, and he made a

  great oath that he would have satisfaction for his brothers. And he

  went to the High King, and he said: "I will go alone to the strand,

  and I will kill a hundred men every day till I have made an end of

  the whole of the armies of Ireland; and if any one of your own

  men comes to interfere with me," he said, "I will kill him along

  with them. "

  The next morning Finn asked who would lead the battle that

  day. "I will," said Dubhan, son of Donn. "Do not," said Finn, "but

  let some other one go. "

  But Dubhan went to the strand, and a hundred men along

  with him; and there was no one there before him but Dolar

  Durba, and he said he was there to fight with the whole of them.

  And Dubhan's men gave a great shout of laughter when they

  heard that; but Dolar Durba rushed on them, and he made an end

  of the whole hundred, without a man of them being able to put a

  scratch on him. And then he took a hurling stick and a ball, and

  he threw up the ball and kept it in the air with the hurl from the

  west to the east of the strand without letting it touch the ground

  at all. And then he put the ball on his right foot and kicked it high

  into the air, and when it was coming down he gave it a kick of his

  left foot and kept it in the air like that, and he rushing like a blast

  of March wind from one end of the strand to the other. And when

  he had done that he walked up and down on the strand making

  great boasts, and challenging the men of Ireland to do the like of

  those feats. And every day he killed a hundred of the men that

  were sent against him.

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  CHAPTER VIII.

  THE KING OF ULSTER'S SON

  Now it chanced at that time that news of the great battle that was

  going on reached to the court of the King of Ulster. And the king's

  son, that was only twelve years of age, and that was the comeliest

  of all the young men of Ireland, said to his father: "Let me go to

  help Finn, son of Cumhal, and his men." "You are not old enough,

  or strong enough, boy; your bones are too soft," said the king.

  And when the boy went on asking, his father shut him up in some

  close place, and put twelve young men, his foster-brothers, in

  charge of him.

  There was great anger on the young lad then, and he said to

  his foster-brothers: "It is through courage and daring my father

  won a great name for himself in his young youth, and why does

  he keep me from winning a name for myself? And let you help

  me now," he said, "and I will be a friend to you for ever. " And he

  went on talking to them and persuading them till he got round

  them all, and they agreed to go with him to join Finn and the

  Fianna. And when the king was asleep, they went into the house

  where the arms were kept, and every lad of them brought away

  with him a shield and a sword and a helmet and two spears and

  two greyhound whelps. And they went across Ess Ruadh in the

  north, and through Connacht of many tribes, and through Caille

  an Chosanma, the Woods of Defence, that were called the choice

  of every king and the true honour of every poet, and into Ciarraighe, and so on to the White Strand.

  And when they came there Dolar Durba was on the strand,

  boasting before the men of Ireland. And Oisin was rising up to go

  against him, for he said he would sooner die fighting with him

  than see the destruction he was doing every day on his people.

  And all the wise men and the fighting men and the poets and the

  musicians of the Fianna gave a great cry of sorrow when they

  heard Oisin saying that.

  And the King of Ulster's son went to Finn and stood before

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  him and saluted him, and Finn asked who was he, and where did

  he come from. "I am the son of the King of Ulster," he said; "and I

  am come here, myself and my twelve foster-brothers, to give you

  what help we can." "I give you a welcome," said Finn.

  just then they heard the voice of Dolar Durba, very loud and

  boastful. "Who is that I hear? " said the king's son. "It is a man of

  the foreigners asking for a hundred of my men to go and meet

  him," said Finn.

  Now, when the twelve foster-brothers heard that, they said no

  word but went down to the strand, unknown to the king's son

  and to Finn.

  "You are not a grown man," said Conan; "and neither yourself

  or your comrades are fit to face any fighting man at all." "I never

  saw the Fianna of Ireland till this day," said the young lad; "but I

  know well that you are Conan Maol, that never says a good word

  of any man. And you will see now," he said, "if I am in dread of

  that man on the strand, or of any man in the world, for I will go

  out against him by myself. "

  But Finn kept him back and was talking with him, but then

  Conan began again, and he said: "It is many men Dolar Durba has

  made an end of, and there was not a man of all those that could

  not have killed a hundred of the like of you every day."

  When the king's son heard that, there was great anger on him,

  and he leaped up, and just then Dolar Durba gave a great shout

  on the strand. "What is he giving that shout for? " said the king's

  son. "He is shouting for more men to come against him," said

  Conan, "for he is just after killing your twelve comrades." "That

  is a sorrowful story," said the king's son.

  And with that he took hold of his arms, and no one could hold

  him or hinder him, and he rushed down to the strand where

  Dolar Durba was. And all the armies of the strangers gave a great

  shout of laughter, for they thought all Finn's men had been made

  an end of, when he sent a young lad like that against their champion. And when the boy heard that, his courage grew the greater, and he fell on Dolar Durba and gave him many wounds before he

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  knew he was attacked at all. And they fought a very hard fight

  together, till their shields and their swords were broken in pieces.

  And that did not stop the battle, but they grappled together and

  fought and wrestled that way, till the tide went over them and

  drowned them both. And when the sea went over them the

  armies on each side gave out a great sorrowful cry.

  And after the ebb-tide on the morrow, the two bodies were

  found cold and quiet, each one held fast by the other. But Dolar

  Durba was beneath the king's son, so they knew it was the young

  lad was the best and had got the victory. And they buried him,

  and put a flag-stone over his grave, and keened him there.

  CHAPTER IX.

  THE HIGH KING'S SON

  Then Finn said he would send a challenge himself to Daire Donn,

  the King of the Great World. But Caoilte asked leave to do that

  day's fighting himself. And Finn said he would agree to that if he

  could find
enough of men to go with him. And he himself gave

  him a hundred men, and Oisin did the same, and so on with the

  rest. And he gave out his challenge, and it was the son of the King

  of the Great Plain that answered it. And while they were in the

  heat of the fight, a fleet of ships came into the harbour, and Finn

  thought they were come to help the foreigners. But Oisin looked

  at them, and he said: "It is seldom your knowledge fails you ,

  Finn, but those are friends of our own: Fiachra, son of the King of

  the Fianna of the Bretons, and Duaban Donn, son of the King of

  Tuathmumain with his own people. "

  And when those that were in the ships came on shore, they saw

  Caoiltes banner going down before the son of the King of the Great

  Plain. And they all went hurrying on to his help, and between

  them they made an end of the king's son and of all his people.

  "Who will keep watch to-night? " said Finn then. "We will,"

  said the nine Garbhs of the Fianna, of Slieve Mis, and Slieve Cua,

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  221

  and Slieve Clair, and Slieve Crot, and Slieve Muice, and Slieve

  Fuad, and Slieve Atha Moir, and Dun Sobairce and Dundealgan.

  And they were not long watching till they saw the King of the

  Men of Oregan coming towards them, and they fought a fierce

  battle; and at the end of the night there were left standing but

  three of the Garbhs, and the King of the Men of Oregan. And they

  fought till their wits were gone from them; and those four fell

  together, sole against sole, and lip against lip.

  And the fight went on from day to day, and from week to week,

  and there were great losses on both sides. And when Fergus of the

  Sweet Lips saw that so many of the Fianna were fallen, he asked

  no leave but went to Teamhair of the Kings, where the High King

  of Ireland was, and he told him the way it was with Finn and his

  people. "That is good," said the High King. "Finn to be in that

  strait; for there is no labouring man dares touch a pig or a deer or

  a salmon if he finds it dead before him on account of the Fianna;

  and there is no man but is in dread to go from one place to

  another without leave from Finn, or to take a wife till he knows if

  she has a sweetheart among the Fianna of Ireland. And it is often

  Finn has given bad judgments against us," he said, "and it would

  be better for us the foreigners to gain the day than himself."

  Then Fergus went out to the lawn where the High King's son

  was playing at ball. "It is no good help you are giving to Ireland,"

  said Fergus then, "to be playing a game without lasting profit, and

  strangers taking away your country from you." And he was urging him and blaming him, and great shame came on the young man, and he threw away the stick and went through the people of

  Teamhair and brought together all the young men, a thousand

  and twenty of them that were in it. And they asked no leave and

  no advice from the High King, but they set out and went on till

  they came to Finntraigh. And Fergus went to where Finn was,

  and told him the son of the High King of Ireland was come with

  him; and all the Fianna rose up before the young man and bade

  him welcome. And Finn said: "Young man," he said, "we would

  sooner see you coming at a time when there would be musicians

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  and singers and poets and high-up women to make pleasure for

  you than at the time we are in the straits of battle the way we are

  now." "It is not for playing I am come," said the young man, "but

  to give you any service in battle. " "I never brought a lad new to

  the work into the breast of battle," said Finn, "for it is often a lad

  coming like that finds his death, and I would not wish him to fall

  through me." "I give my word," said the young man, "I will do

  battle with them on my own account if I may not do it on yours."

  Then Fergus of the Fair Lips went out to give a challenge of battle

  from the son of the High King of Ireland to the King of the World.

  "Who will answer the King of Ireland's son for me?" said the

  King of the World. "I will go against him," said Sligech, King of

  the Men of Cepda; and he went on shore, and his three red battalions with him. And the High King's son went against them, and his comrades were near him, and they were saying to him? "Take

  a good heart now into the fight, for the Fianna will be no better

  pleased if it goes well with you than if it goes well with the foreigner." And when the High King's son heard that, he made a rush through the army of the foreigners, and began killing and overthrowing them, till their chief men were all made an end of. Then Sligech their king came to meet him, very angry and destroying,

  and they struck at one another and made a great fight, but at the

  last the King of Ireland's son got the upper hand, and he killed the

  King of the Men of Cepda and struck off his head.

  CHAPTER X.

  THE KING OF LOCHLANN AND HIS SONS

  And the fighting went on from day to day, and at last Finn said to

  Fergus of the Sweet Lips: "Go out, Fergus, and see how many of

  the Fianna are left for the fight to-day. " And Fergus counted

  them, and he said, "There is one battalion only of the Fianna left

  in good order; but there are some of the men of it," he said, "are

  able to fight against three, and some that are able to fight against

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  nine or thirty or a hundred. " ••If that is so," said Finn, ··rise up

  and go to where the King of the World is, and bid him to come

  out to the great battle. "

  So Fergus went to the King of the World, and it is the way he

  was, on his bed listening to the music of harps and pipes. ··King of

  the World," said Fergus, ••it is long you are in that sleep; and that

  is no shame for you," he said, "for it will be your last sleep. And

  the whole of the Fianna are gone out to their place of battle," he

  said, ··and let you go out and answer them. " ··In my opinion," said

  the King of the World, ··there is not a man of them is able to fight

  against me; and how many are there left of the Fianna of Ireland?"

  ··one battalion only that is in good order," said Fergus. "And how

  many of the armies of the World are there left?" he said. ··Thirty

  battalions came with me to Ireland; and there are twenty of them

  fallen by the Fianna, and what is left of them is ten red battalions

  in good order. And there are eight good fighters of them," he said,

  "that would put down the men of the whole world, if they were

  against me; that is, myself, and Conmail my son, and Ogarmach,

  the daughter of the King of Greece, that is the best hand in battle

  of the whole world after myself, and Finnachta of the Teeth, the

  chief of my household, and the King of Lochlann, Caisel Clumach

  of the Feathers, and his three sons, Techa, and Fome of the Broad

  Shoulders, and Mongach of the Sea."

  "I swear by the oath of my people," said the King of Lochlann

  then, ••if any man of the armies goes out against the Fianna before

  myself and my three sons, we will not go at all, for we would not

  g
et the satisfaction we are used to, unless our swords get their fill

  of blood. " "I will go out against them alone," said Forne, the

  youngest son of the King of Lochlann. With that he put on his

  battle suit, and he went among the Fianna of Ireland, and a rededged sword in each of his hands. And he destroyed those of their young men that were sent against him, and he made the strand

  narrow with their bodies.

  And Finn saw that, and it was torment to his heart, and danger

  of death and loss of wits to him, and he was encouraging the men

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  of Ireland against Fome. And Fergus of the True Lips stood up,

  and it is what he said: "Fianna of Ireland," he said, "it is a pity the

  way you are under hardship and you defending Ireland. And one

  man is taking her from you to-day," he said, "and you are like no

  other thing but a flock of little birds looking for shelter in a bush

  from a hawk that is after them. And it is going into the shelter of

  Finn and Oisin and Caoilte you are," he said; "and not one of you

  is better than another, but none of you sets his face against the

  foreigner. " "By my oath," said Oisin, "all that is true, and no one

  of us tries to do better than another keeping him off. " "There is

  not one of you is better than another," said Fergus. Then Oisin

  gave out a great shout against the King of Lochlann's son. "Stop

  here with me, king's son," he said, "until I fight with you for the

  Fianna. " "I give my word it is short the delay will be," said Fome.

  Then he himself and Oisin made an attack on one another,

  and it seemed for a while that the battle was going against Oisin.

  "By my word, Man of Poetry," said Finn then to Fergus of the

  True Lips, "it is a pity the way you sent my son against the foreigner. And rise up and praise him and hearten him now," he said.

  So Fergus went down to where the fight was, and he said: "There

  is great shame on the Fianna, Oisin, seeing you so low in this

  fight; and there is many a foot messenger and many a horsemen

  from the daughters of the kings and princes of Ireland looking at

  you now," he said. And great courage rose in Oisin then, and he

  drove his spear through the body of Fome, the King of Lochlann's

  son. And he himself came back to the Fianna of Ireland.

  Then the armies of the World gave out a great cry, keening